12.5 Desires in the Past Tense: たかったです (takatta desu)
In this module, we will explore the usage of たかったです (takatta desu), a key structure in Japanese that allows us to express desires and aspirations in the past tense with clarity and nuance.
Introduction to desires in the past tense: たかったです (takatta desu)
In Module 9.2, we learned how to express desires in the present (or non-past) tense. Now, in this module, we will explore how to express desires in the past tense using the ending pattern たかったです (takatta desu).
This form is essential for talking about things you wanted to do or experience in the past. Whether it’s reflecting on a trip to Japan or recalling past aspirations, this structure allows us to do so with clarity!
How to form たかったです
1. Affirmative past-tense form (wanted to …)
たかったです is the past affirmative form of たいです (want to). To conjugate a verb into たかったです, follow these steps:
-
Start with the ます-form of the verb.
- Example: 食べます (tabemasu) – ‘I eat’.
-
Replace ます with たかったです to express past desire.
- Example: 食べたかったです (tabetakatta desu) – ‘I wanted to eat’.
This pattern applies to all verbs that use the たい-form to express desire.
Alternatively, you can go directly from the ます form by replacing ます with たかったです. For example, 食べます becomes 食べたかったです.
Examples:
Ru-verbs
食（た）べます (tabe masu: [I] eat)
↓
食べたかったです (tabe takatta desu)
I wanted to eat.
U-verbs
行（い）きます (iki masu: [I] go)
↓
行きたかったです (iki takatta desu)
I wanted to go.
Irregular verbs
します (shi masu: [I] do)
↓
したかったです (shi takatta desu)
I wanted to do.
2. Negative past-tense form (didn’t want to …)
たくなかったです is the past negative form of たいです (want to). To conjugate a verb into たくなかったです, follow these steps:
-
Start with the ます-form of the verb.
- Example: 食べます (tabemasu) – ‘I eat’.
-
Replace ます with たくなかったです to express past negative desire.
- Example: 食べたくなかったです (tabetakunakatta desu) – ‘I didn’t want to eat’.
This pattern applies to all verbs that use the たい-form to express desire in the past negative.
Alternatively, you can go directly from the ます form by replacing ます with たくなかったです. For example, 食べます becomes 食べたくなかったです.
Examples:
Ru-verbs
食（た）べます (tabe masu: [I] eat)
↓
食べたくなかったです (tabe taku nakatta desu)
I didn’t want to eat.
U-verbs
行（い）きます (iki masu: [I] go)
↓
行きたくなかったです (iki taku nakatta desu)
I didn’t want to go.
Irregular-verbs
します (shi masu: [I] do)
↓
したくなかったです (shi taku nakatta desu)
I didn’t want to do.
3. Questions in the past tense (Did X want to …?)
To form a question in the past tense, たかったですか (takatta desu ka), add the question particle か to たかったです.
Examples:
Ru-verbs
食べる (taberu: to eat)
↓
X は食べたかったですか (tabe takatta desu ka)
Did X want to eat?
U-verbs
行く (iku: to go)
↓
X は行きたかったですか (iki takatta desu ka)
Did X want to go?
Irregular-verbs
する (suru: to do)
↓
X はしたかったですか (shi takatta desu ka)
Did X want to do (it)?
Usage in sentences
Use たかったです to express past desires, often implying that they were not fulfilled. It conveys a sense of regret or disappointment about something you wanted to do but couldn’t.
Examples:
1. Affirmative past-tense form: たかったです
日本（にほん）で富士山（ふじさん）を見（み）たかったです。
Nihon de Fuji san o mi takatta desu.
I wanted to see Mt. Fuji in Japan.
NOTE: This sentence suggests that the speaker wanted to see Mt. Fuji but was unable to do so.
2. Negative past-tense form: たくなかったです
子（こ）どもの時（とき）、野菜（やさい）を食（た）べたくなかったです。
Kodomo no toki, yasai o tabe taku nakatta desu.
When I was a child, I didn’t want to eat vegetables.
NOTE: This implies that the speaker actively disliked eating vegetables in childhood.
3. Questions in the past tense: たかったですか
Closed-ended question:
A: 北海道（ほっかいどう）で温泉（おんせん）に入（はい）りたかったですか。
Hokkaidou de onsen ni hairi takatta desu ka.
Did you want to bathe in [literally, ‘go into’] a hot spring in Hokkaido?
B: はい、入りたかったです。/ いいえ、入りたくなかったです。
Hai, hairi takatta desu. / Iie, hairi taku nakatta desu.
Yes, I did. / No, I didn’t.
NOTE: The affirmative response may imply that the speaker wanted to but couldn’t, while the negative response simply states that they had no desire.
Open-ended question:
A: オーストラリアで何（なに）をしたかったですか。
Oosutoraria de nani o shi takatta desu ka.
What did you want to do in Australia?
B: コアラに会（あ）いたかったです。
Koara ni ai takatta desu.
I wanted to meet a koala.
NOTE: This suggests that the speaker had a desire to meet a koala, likely but not necessarily unfulfilled.
NOTE:
To imply that the desire was fulfilled or to provide an explanation in conversation, たかったんです (a more colloquial and explanatory form, or のです in formal writing) is often used.
If you want to clearly indicate that the desire was fulfilled, you might say:
✔ 日本で富士山を見ました。すごく見たかったんです！
Nihon de Fuji-san o mimashita. Sugoku mitakatta n desu.
I saw Mt. Fuji in Japan. I really wanted to see it!
✖ 日本で富士山を見たかったです。でも、見ました！
Nihon de Fuji-san o mitakatta desu. Demo, mimashita!
I wanted to see Mt. Fuji in Japan. But I saw it!
This sounds unnatural because たかったです usually implies that the desire was unfulfilled.
Summary
This table compares the different conjugations of たいです, which is used to express desire in Japanese. The table shows how to form the affirmative and negative versions in both the present and past tense, with example sentences for clarity:
| Tense | Ending | Meaning | Example (食べる – ‘to eat’) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affirmative Present | たいです (tai desu) | want to | 食べたいです (tabetai desu) – ‘I want to eat’. |
| Negative Present | たくないです (takunai desu) | don’t/doesn’t want to | 食べたくないです (tabetakunai desu) – ‘I don’t want to eat’. |
| Affirmative Past | たかったです (takatta desu) | wanted to | 食べたかったです (tabetakatta desu) – ‘I wanted to eat’. |
| Negative Past | たくなかったです (takunakatta desu) | didn’t want to | 食べたくなかったです (tabetakunakatta desu) – ‘I didn’t want to eat’. |
Exercise 1
